


Fair Haired Child

by evarosen, pillstaker



Series: A tale of two Kyles [1]
Category: Terminator Genisys (2015)
Genre: Emotional Manipulation, John is a creep, M/M, Minor Character Death, no really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-18
Updated: 2015-09-18
Packaged: 2018-04-21 09:10:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4823333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evarosen/pseuds/evarosen, https://archiveofourown.org/users/pillstaker/pseuds/pillstaker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John thinks Kyle's hair would turn lighter in the sun. John's did, when there was a sun to be under.</p><p>Sometimes John used to think about Kyle smiling under the sun, with no death around and a life ahead of him. Then he remembered Kyle's day under the sun would be indeed bound to happen, but there would be death around, and just a handful of hours to live.</p><p>But that's no longer the case.</p><p>(or, John wasn't able to convince Kyle Reese to remain at his side, but maybe <em>Kyle Reese</em> would be easier to convince. After all, everyone got their second chance, why not them?)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

They never see him, lurking around the property, too busy with their happy ending, thinking they've planting the seeds to ensure it.

Kyle had never talked to John about his parents, how they were before he lost them.

He thinks they would respond better to a man in his mid-twenties presenting himself as a friend of their new friends. So Kyle sees him as he did the first time, _sans_ scars.

The awe on his eyes is eerily similar, though.

John is pleased, but a little baffled until he learns the reason.

"So, you're a friend of Sarah's?"

"Yes, you could say that. As a matter of fact, we're related."

"I knew it! You look alike, kinda. She's very pretty." 

John smiles at that; and Kyle looks at him, a bit alarmed, a bit self-conscious. 

"I-I mean..."

"Yes, she is. And she's very special. Did she say, if she would be back to visit?"

Kyle deflates a little, fiddling with the seam of his sleeve. "I don't think she will. She only came by to make sure that man could talk to me. He was named Kyle, too." He scrunches his face, a little. "It was very weird."

"Really? But what he had to say, it was important."

"I don't know. _You_ are his friend." The boy says, dismissively. He looks at the distance, shielding his eyes with his hand, and throws the ball to the dog again.

The dog catches it, but doesn't bring it back.

John's disguise is better than a T-800's or even a T-1000, enough not to send the mutt into hysterics; but it still feels something's off.

That is not the case with Kyle, though. He always feels the pull toward John, even though he doesn't know why in this world more than he did in the other.

"Yes, I am." John says. "We're very close. In a way, we've always been like family."

*

Mary is very kind. He brieftly considers making her see the truth; but he also can see she's not strong. She has never survived before; she's never seen her son fully grown (except this time, Skynet's small mercy, how ironic).

Still, she's very kind, so John inserts a small nanite in her hand, when he shakes it, after _accidentally_ meeting her in the store.

It will travel through her bloodstream until it lodges on a brain vessel, making it burst.

He wishes he could spare Kyle this, but in a way, it's better like this. She could have just gone missing, but a boy needs to know where his mother is. He needs to know she's gone so he can mourn her.

Fathers, in the other hand, are easily gone without a trace. Even if sometimes is not by their choice.

*

"Is this because of what he told me? Genisys, Skynet. Did this happen because of me?"

"There's no use on blaming anyone, Kyle. They shouldn't have gotten near any of you in the first place. But Kyle and Sarah are involved in very dangerous things, and I will make sure nothing of that reaches you, not until you're ready."

"But...you said they were your friends."

"And they are." John says, without a trace of fakeness. "I love them very much. But there are some things they just won't understand. Do you trust me?"

Like always, Kyle doesn't hesitate on taking his hand.

Byt the time Kyle and Sarah come for him, they're long gone.

*

_"Does Sarah know, that you're only capable of loving someone if they're already dead?" John says, crouching down next to Kyle, cupping his face on his hand._

_There are ashes on his hair, and his face is unscarred; but he's wearing his uniform, and the bombs are falling in the distance._

_"That is not true."_

_John tilts his head, considering. "Fair enough. Admitting to love them, then."_

_"No," Kyle says, looking John in the eye. Their faces are very close, like often were when they talked to each other in the field, their voices barely audible. "Is not true that you're dead."_

_John is, in fact, not dead, because Kyle is dreaming._

Then Kyle wakes up, and John is still not dead, but this time is a nightmare.


	2. Chapter 2

John thinks Kyle's hair would turn lighter in the sun. John's did, when there was a sun to be under.

Sometimes John used to think about Kyle smiling under the sun, with no death around and a life ahead of him. Then he remembered Kyle's days under the sun would be indeed bound to happen, but there would be death around, and no life ahead for him.

But that's no longer the case.

He intends to give Kyle a better life than the one he could have on his own even if Judgement Day never came to pass. He won't after all, be just another man, headed for an unremarkable existence.

Kyle is very smart, even though he lacks some of John's charisma. He has always been more comfortable following. 

John, Sarah; Kyle always showed affection by way of loyalty.

It's not important, though, when the one you follow has the same goals that will eventually make you a leader on your own right.

Kyle's father makes a brief re-appearance to name John his legal guardian; all through lawyers, naturally, since John is a busy man.

He can't be in two places at once.

*

But Kyle, Kyle can. 

John is hiding in plain sight, in a way; he's taken a long distance job on what's left of Cyberdyne, claiming stress over the disaster that's befallen him.

He sends his research and his projects to Danny, who's grateful enough not to press him to supervise as closely as he did in the past. Danny himself struggles to be present, after all, with his father's failing health.

Must be destiny as well, the Dysons, always unwittingly aiding catastrophic technology breakthroughs.

He's moderately hopeful Sarah won't directly blame them this time. After all, she and Kyle already have their designated enemy.

Kyle has grown a beard. John would like to say it suits him, but it truly doesn't.

"What have you done?" he says.

John shifts back to his true appearance. There's only Kyle to see him here (either of them, if he's early from school), and he feels vaguely uncomfortable with not being the older one.

After all, Kyle has already seen. He had not realised how much he'd missed his unwavering faith, his acceptance, until he had it again.

"Protect you. As I always have."

"Blindside and lie to me. To suit your purposes. As you always have."

Kyle's voice wavers. He's hurt, and there's something akin to horror as he looks at John.

John advances on him. 

"We could not win, Kyle. You haven't seen what I saw. How long was it for you, since you stepped in that machine until today?"

Kyle forgets to be afraid, if he ever was, in sight of this question.

"What do you mean? How long it was for you?"

"Longer." Infinite worlds and times, and Kyle dying in each one, John sacrificing him for a salvation that would ultimately evade all of them. He and Kyle and Sarah, all of them marooned and displaced but never together.

"Longer. Yes." Kyle says. He'd seen it too; not like John, but flashes. _You could never admit to loving..._

"Where is Sarah?"

"She's with me."

*

Kyle sees John understand his meaning; his eyes widen brieftly, in concern, before his features settle again. 

"I see. So she would see something worth saving on you, but not in me? Will she, Kyle? Or will she dispose of him, as you tried to do with me?"

Kyle is speechless for a second. He looks at John with renewed fear. Something deep inside John recoils at having that look directed at him.

"You didn't."

"No, I didn't," he admits, too quickly. "You wouldn't be able to bear it, she hating you. You wouldn't be able to justify turning against her."

"I didn't turn against you."

"You followed me for the wrong reasons. And when I wouldn't give you what you wanted of me...I suppose it was safer. One impossible thing instead of an unattainable one."

"I-I don't..."

"But you do. Every time, you do. Did you see, the time when I did? There was a time..."

There will be a time, when Kyle leaves this room, perhaps still human and perhaps something more; but he will be John's.

Kyle is loyal to him; there will be no convincing him, this time. He has the persuasion of the very young; he'll wear Sarah down.

Sarah out there, a boy at her side. Kyle and John together.

Under the sun.

**Author's Note:**

> And after that, back to the crack, because we kind of squicked ourselves.


End file.
